Dawn Staley makes her feelings known on tying Pat Summitt's Tennessee record after South Carolina ends unbeaten streak of Kim Mulkey's LSU

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley shared her thoughts on tying Pat Summitt's record for the longest home winning streak in SEC history following the Gamecocks' 66-56 win over LSU on Friday at Colonial Life Arena.

It was South Carolina's 69th straight home victory, matching the legendary Tennessee (1991-96) team for that feat. The Gamecocks also tied the fourth-longest home winning streak in Division I history, according to ESPN.

In a postgame interview on ESPN SportsCenter, Staley dedicated the streak-tying win to the fans.

"It just means that we didn't really know what a national championship attendance looked like," she said. We know about the basketball part but the way the community here in Columbia, South Carolina has embraced our team and they poured into our team, they poured in our team in such a way they don't like us losing."

The three-time champion coach noted that she had no idea which team would show up on Friday, due to the adjusted schedule caused by a winter storm that affected parts of the southeastern U.S., including the Florida Panhandle, Louisiana and coastal Carolina.

"Sometimes the cadence of not playing your normal Thursday, Sunday and having it delayed until Friday, it messes with you a little bit," Staley said.

"We had one extra day that I really didn't want because we're really amped up to play on Thursday. But this crowd showed up. This crowd poured in to our team and we fed off the energy in this building. I think it's great for women's basketball."

South Carolina showed no ill effects from the adjusted schedule, executing great defense to limit LSU's high-octane offense to 56 points and less than 30% shooting from the field.

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South Carolina's depth slays LSU's offense

South Carolina did what no team had been able to do against LSU's high-octane offense this season: clamp down on the Lady Tigers' scorers. LSU's four top scorers — Flau'Jae Johnson, Aneesah Morrow, Mikaylah Williams and Kailyn Gilbert — combined for 45 points, a far cry from their total averages of 66.4 points per game in the first 20 games.

The Gamecocks held LSU to 5-of-20 shooting in the third period to pull away, limiting Johnson, who averages 20 points per game, to just two points in the second half. South Carolina recorded 13 steals and 11 blocks and became the first team in 126 games to hold the Mulkey-led LSU to below 30% shooting.

On offense, Joyce Edwards, Tessa Johnson and MiLaysia Fulwiley made Staley's decision to balance the team's depth look genius, coming off the bench to score a combined 31 points.

The bench points broke LSU's back, as the Lady Tigers could only produce two points from their reserves. Kim Mulkey was forced to play most of her starters for extended minutes to keep up with South Carolina's pace.

South Carolina looks to continue its unbeaten SEC run with a visit to Tennessee on Monday. LSU, meanwhile, hopes to bounce back in its home game against Texas A&M on Sunday.